Sawatch

Avalanche

Ben Pritchett · Dec 20, 2019 · Sawatch

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Weather

Inversion was breaking down, valley warming during the day. High temp reached upper 20's.

Snowpack

Generally faceting, weak snowpack. Loose dry avalanches running out of steep cliffs, only in the upper 5cm of the snowpack. Boot penetration was to the ground in sheltered areas. In localized areas with wind-drifting, the snowpack is quite different, with a reactive slab over facets. Where boot penetration stopped in the slab, it was easy to make a small jump and get entire features to collapse and crack, up to 50' along roadside banks.

Avalanche

One fairly recent avalanche below treeline on a northeast-facing bank. Numerous near treeline avalanches on north through east facing slopes. Several narrow but long-running slabs broke above treeline on cross-loaded south and west facing slopes. All the activity appeared to have run between 12/13-16.